Fusible link.



A. c. HOWLEY.' FUSIBLE LINK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6. 19|?.

Patented May 28,1918.

Specication of Letters latent.

nipm

ARTHUR C; ROWLEY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 GLOBE AUTO- MATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORA- 'TION 0F PENNSYLVANIA. i

FUSIBLE LINK.

Patented May 2e, imite.

Application led August 6, 1917. Serial No. 184,696.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. RowLEr, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Fusible Links, of which the following is a specification.

@ne object of my invention is to providen a fusible link which shall consist of two like parts so designed as to be capable of being inexpensively formed of stamped or pressed metal and of such construction that when united by fusible metal they shall not be liable to separate under working conditions until exposed to a definite temperature.

It is further desired to provide a two-part fusible link whose elements shall be of such construction as to minimize the possibility of corrosion of the fusible metal whereby they are separably connected ;-the invention contemplating a novel arrangement and form of side flanges and slidably coperating tongues designed to protect in a large measure the fusible connecting metal and at the same time insure the separation of said elements when said metal melts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fusible two-part link having side flanges and coacting tongues so formed and disposed as to facilitate the separation of the plates under predetermined conditions.

'Ihese objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, in which,

Figures l and 2 are perspective viewsl illustrating the detail construction of each of the two elements constituting a link con'-k structed in accordance with my invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively an edge and a front elevation of myjlink;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4:;

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of a modification; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the link of Figs. 6 and 7.

In the above drawings each of the link elements consists of a flat plate 1 of sheet metal, preferably having one end rounded and its opposite end provided with a pair of projecting lugs 2. Between these lugs is a tongue 3 of rectangular outline bent at an angle of substantially 45 to the plane of the plate, although obviously it may extend at any other suitable angle without departing from my invention.

ception of the lever of a sprinkler head or any other structure which it is desired to hold in a predetermined position, and the lower edge of this opening is extended in the form of a second tongue 5 in a direction opposite that of the tongue 3 but preferably at substantially the same angle to the plane of the plate l. j A

Each side edge of the plate l is provided with an integral projecting flange or elongated lug 6 extending at right angles to its plane and having its upper end 7 beveled or inclined at an angle of about 45.

In assembling the two link members they` are placed `together parallel to each other withvtheir rounded or perforated ends pro-` jecting in opposite directions, with the bottom tongue 3 of one of them projecting through the opening 4 of the other so that it lies parallel to and practically in engage` ment with the tongue 5 ofsaid second element. Similarly the tongue 3 of this second element extends parallel to and immedi` ately adjacent the tongue 5 of the first element. The inclined ends 7 of the side lugs or flanges 6 are in engagement or immediately adjacent each other.

After the two link elements or plates have been .brought together in the relative positions shown, they are separably connected in the well known manner by a metal or alloy having a predetermined and relatively low fusing point.

Vith this arrangement of parts it is obvious that the edges of the thin sheet or body v of fusible material lying between and con` necting the flat bodies of the two plates is well protected at the sides of the link by the to a minimum', it being understood that in assembling the lmk elements 'they are spaced lapart by any suitable means so as to insure that this eonnectingl'ayer or sheet of fusible materialsshall possess a' definite and prede-- termined thickness.

It is further noted that under normal conditions by far the greatervpart of the tensi'onexert'ed upon the twolink elements and tending to separate themr is transferred directly from one to the other through the contacting inclined .edges of the side lugs 6 e and also through the engaging faces of the twoiA pairs of inclined tongues 5 3'. When howevenpthe link is exposed to the predetermined temperature necessary' to melt the fusible connecting metal or alloy, the same l form'soii my invention, are of identical con' component of the tension. exerted upon the link elements causes these to move laterallyv two tongues 8" and 9. in opposite directions from; the central part of the flatplate l0 constitu-ting the body of each' link element.l

The two plates employed, as in-.the other struction and under conditions of use are united by metal or alloy having a lowfusing point,y being heldy as` showni in Fig. 8`

with the outer face of each, tongue 8,1 paralle'l with and immediately adjacent the inner face ofy the corresponding tongue 9,.` Under these conditions each pair of the lugs. 2 as before extend at the oppositesides of one of the openings 4.

With this arrangement of. parts the tension exerted upon the link elements is transmitted from one to the other through the pairs of tongues 8 9 andL the' fusible material between the same, so that when thel link. is exposed to a predetermined temperature suflicient to melt the connecting alloy,y thewbodies of said1 elements are at once sep,

anated laterally by reason of the slidingy of the tongues onev upon the other.

'l'. A fusible link consisting of two similar'plateseach havin-g a perforation: for the reception of a tension-exerting. element and each? including; tongue projecting from one f edge of said ,perforation atan` angle to its plane; a second tongue projecting from each member 1n a plane parallel to that of said first tongue; and relatively fusible material separably connecting saidplates, each with the two sets of tongues parallel and immediately adjacent each otlie'r respectively.

2. A fusible link consisting of a plate having a perforation for the reception of a tension element and provided with an inclined tongue projecting from the edge of said perforation at an angle to the plane of the plate; a second plate having' aninclined tongue projecting at the same angle to its plane as that ofthe tongueof the first plate; and relatively fusible material separably connecting the plates and holding said inclined tongues parallel and superposed.v

3.- A link element consisting. of a plate having two side edge flanges extending at right angles to its plane and each having aflat inclined end.

4. A link element consisting of a plate having two tongues inclined to its plane and projecting from its opposite faces; with sideflanges projecting at right angles to its plane and hav-ing inclined ends for coaetion with the similar ends of another link element.

5; A link element consisting of aisubstan- 85 tially fiat plate having an opening for the reception of atension element and including af tongue projecting from one edge of said opening at an angle to its plane; with a second. tongue projecting from one end. of the plate in a plane parallel toithat' of said first tongue.

6. A fusible link .consisting of two similar, substantially flat plates each having: at least one edge projection extending; substantially at. right angles to its plane; the projection; of each element presenting: an inclined edgey for sliding engagement lwith the similar projeetion on. the other element; with a relatively fusible material separably connecting said plates.y

7. A fusible link consisting of two similar plates each having a pair ofy edge flanges extending at right angles to its plane inpositionl to extend over the edges of the other element, the adjacent ends of said flanges of each pair on-the same side of the link abutting each other ina plane inclined to the plane of the body of said link; with relatively fusible material separably connecting 110 said'- members.

In witness whereof I alilxlmy signature;

ARTHUR e. RowLEY.

Copies 'ofrthis patent maybe obtained forlive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, `D. C. 

